If you want to, you can join the two printouts together at A and B (overlapping by half inch if you don’t want the added seam allowance) to eliminate side seams. I have made the pattern this way because it’s easier to scan and also, if you want, the split pattern allows to choose different fabrics for front and back.

Once you’ve printed and cut your pattern out, it’s time to start sewing.

Now grab a front and back piece and with right sides facing, sew both side seams. I have used my overlock but if you don’t own an overlock machine, you can use a normal straight stitch on your sewing machine and use either pinking shears to trim afterwards or a zig zag stitch along all raw edges to prevent fraying.

Press!

Now, grab both pieces and join, matching them both together with right sides facing stitch from waistband down to start of gussets.

Then, keeping shorts inside out, stitch the gusset area together matching front gusset to back gusset.

Hem shorts leg holes by pressing up half inch and stitching into place. I used my coverstitch to hem these but you could either overlock the edges first and hem or zig zag edges first then turn. If you prefer, you can use a double fold hem but remember when cutting out the pattern to allow for the extra fold length.

Now it’s time to add the elastic.

I used a 12 inch length here but just check before adding the elastic that it’s not going to be too tight or too loose for babba.

Firstly, join your elastic using a zig zag stitch. Yes, I know, mines not pretty at all but it’s Easter Sunday and I’m trying to multi task between cooking dinner for 8 of us and getting this typed up! (Any excuse!!!)

Now pin the join just off centre to the back seam to eliminate bulk then pin the opposite side of elastic to front seam of shorts. You are going to attach the elastic to the inside waist edge of shorts. You will need to stretch and pull on the elastic in front of your needle and pull from behind to help feed both elastic and waist edge of shorts through the machine. I sometimes use my overlock machine with knife turned off but in this tutorial, I’m using the sewing machine to attach it.

If you want, now is a good time to trim all those frayed edges. Of course, if you do use the overlock machine, it will look a lot neater than mine! Now, using either a wide zig zag or your coverstitch machine, fold down waist edge so that the elastic is facing the wrong side of fabric and stitch into place. Remember to pull front and back as you feed them through your machine. If you find that you need to stop to adjust hand placement, be sure to stop with your needles down to prevent over stretching your stitches. If using the coverstitch machine, stitch from the right side just so that the edge of the elastic and waist edge is encased in the coverstitch underneath. It may be easier to use a post it or painters tape on your machine bed to help guide your work through at the correct width.

And that’s it, you’re done!

Simple aren’t they? And just in time for summer!
These shorts should be suitable for 3-6 months but you can easily adjust the pattern to fit.